There is a thesis that social anxiety is a uniquely Japanese characteristic, influenced by their culture. This study examined the thesis by conducting a cross-cultural study of Japanese and Korean students. A questionnaire was administered to 272 Korean and 250 Japanese undergraduates. A causal model concerning social anxiety was examined through analysis of covariance structure of the following three main factors: identity, public self-consciousness, and interdependent self. Results showed that there were differences in the strength of the three factors that affected social anxiety. Additionally, social anxiety of Japanese students was higher than that of Korean students, possibly because of cultural differences between the countries. However, the path diagram of the three factors affecting social anxiety was essentially the same. The result suggested that social anxiety was not a unique tendency of Japanese consciousness in their culture, but a common phenomenon found in Korean culture as well.

Key words: social anxiety, establishment of identity, public self-consciousness, interdependent self, young adult